Members of the Teamsters and Machinists Unions walked off the job in protest of Columbia Ford's refusal to help allay the rising costs of health care, passing on costs to their employees while not offering enough of a wage increase to offset the burden.

The 31 union members consist of workers from parts and lube departments and mechanics at the car dealership. The unions, who have been in negotiations with the company since April 25, have been met with nothing but resistance by Columbia Ford to even the idea of considering a different approach to the health care plan.

Advertisement

"We are not asking for the world here," said Brian King, Teamsters Local 58 business agent. Local 58 represents the 10 striking workers who work in parts and lube departments. "Our proposals have been reasonable but the company's offer amounts to less take-home pay for the workers who will be forced to nearly triple their monthly payments for health care."

Left with little recourse, the Teamsters Union voted for strike authorization after rejecting the company's final offer on May 30. The current contract expired on May 31. With increases in the health care already scheduled to take effect on July 1, the workers knew that if they didn't take a stand now the company would never listen.

"I have a family to think about," said Chuck Hurst, shop steward for the Teamster unit. "I am out on the line to ensure that their future is protected. It's a domino effect. If I have to take more money out of my paycheck for health care, that money isn't going to be there for other things like groceries, gasoline or clothes. We have been loyal employees and its time for this company to step up and recognize our dedication."

An eye opening survey recently found retirees are more prone to spend time finding the best deal for buying groceries than they do choosing health insurance. Shopping for insurance, for some, is worse than you might imagine according to a representative sampling survey of Medicare recipients.

The Report to Congress on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Graduate Nurse Education Demonstration has just been released documenting health care workforce gains addressing the nation’s shortage of primary care.

If you live in the United States you must understand our current medical system and I do not mean the Affordable Care Act, but simply how Big Pharma works and why Americans are angry and why we should all be fighting for healthcare reform.

We hear a lot about pre-existing medical conditions that are covered or not covered by health insurance plans, but what are those? I had a wow moment when I saw this list of pre-existing medical conditions that I had no idea were considered pre-exsiting.

The U.S. House of Representatives today voted 217–213 to pass the American Health Care Act (AHCA). The bill repeals and replaces the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, which has been in effect since 2010. What are some of the benefits of repealing Obamacare? Heartland Institute experts discuss how this bill benefits nation's spending and free market.

Heartland Institute Experts React to GOP Obamacare Reform Bill sharing advice on repealing and replacing Obamacare saying the Republican health insurance plan is a start toward a better way. The following is released by the Heartland Institute.